Palace: Truth commission on Mamasapano not needed

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is not keen on supporting the creation of a truth commission to look into the bloody clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said Saturday that there are already several bodies conducting investigations on the January 25 encounter that resulted in the deaths of 44 Special Action Force troopers.

Valte said that the public should wait for the results of other probes on the incident even after the release of the report by the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry (BOI) earlier this week.

"Siguro po hintayin natin ang paglabas din nung mga findings ng ibang report," Valte said in an interview over state-owned dzRB. "Baka naman sa sinasabi nung kongresistang ito ay makita pa doon sa mga ibang report na lalabas."

Valte was referring to statements of some lawmakers who said that the BOI report, which took a month to finish, is incomplete.

FULL TEXT: PNP Board of Inquiry's Mamasapano Report

She said a truth commission would have to be organized by President Aquino—a move the public may viewed as impartial.

"Kung matatandaan po natin, even in the past commissions that have been constituted, ang pangulo ang nag-appoint," she noted.

Aquino has been accused of violating the police chain of command in the planning of the bungled operation.

"At kung sasabihin naman sa ilalim ng batas na ang pangulo pa rin ang maa-appoint, hindi ba baka sabihin naman nila biased [at] hindi independent?" Valte said.

Besides the BOI, the International Monitoring Team, the Department of Justice, the Commission on Human Rights and the Senate panel headed by Sen. Grace Poe are each coming up with their reports.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, whose fighters were among those who attacked and killed the police commandos, is also concluding a probe, the results of which were only shared with the Malaysian government.